Glasgow: Defending four-time champions New Zealand are unperturbed by their unheralded 100 per cent success rate at the Commonwealth Games, coach Gordon Tietjens adamant that his squad could win again.

The All Blacks have won all four previous Commonwealth sevens tournaments, dating back to the Jonah Lomu-inspired triumph in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, and have since dominated the IRB Sevens World Series of a sport which will be included in the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“We have nine players who are new to the Games set-up and a 100 per cent record to uphold,” Tietjens said.

“That comes with some pressure but we are raring to get going against Canada on Saturday.”

Tietjens said the three veterans of his squad, skipper DJ Forbes, Sherwin Stowers and Tim Mikkelson had been crucial in the build-up to the Commonwealths.

“We have had a successful week in the Netherlands and training has been going really well since we have arrived in the village,” the veteran coach said.

“Forbes, Stowers and Mikkelson have been supporting the new guys really well by managing their distractions off the pitch.

“Fatigue is something we are constantly mindful off and we don’t want the guys to tire themselves out walking around the village.”

Tietjens admitted that training for rugby sevens was becoming increasingly professional, notably with the inclusion of the sport in the Rio Olympics.

“This game is getting more specialised and the conditioning around the athletes is becoming more and more important with each competition, especially after the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games,” he said.

Skipper Forbes will be key for New Zealand, the bearded flanker an elemental linking player in both attack and defence.

But Forbes said he had had some concerns since arriving in Glasgow — his appearance at a lunch attended by Queen Elisabeth II.

“It was pretty casual apart from all the pleasantries before hand. We had a lot of chances to talk to her and get lots of photos,” Forbes said.

“I was worried I wouldn’t look presentable with the beard but luckily because it was so casual I got away with it.”

New Zealand have been drawn in Pool A alongside Canada, Nigeria and tournament hosts Scotland, who have named star international British and Irish Lion full-back Stuart Hogg and veteran winger Sean Lamont in the squad.

Silver medallists four years ago in New Delhi, Australia, and bronze medallists South Africa are top seeds in pools D and B respectively, while other World Series regulars in Samoa, England, Kenya, Wales and Canada will be determined to challenge the dominance of the mighty All Blacks.